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‘Criminal’ French should be banned from Norway, MP argues

The phone hasn’t stopped ringing for Norway’s noisiest xenophobe these past few days. According to far-right MP Per Sandberg (pictured), pesky foreign journalists haven’t left him alone since he suggested on Thursday that French people should be barred from entering the country.

 

Sandberg, deputy of the country’s anti-immigration Progressive Party, made the curious statement on Thursday in an online post. His real target was the Roma – one of his favourite subjects, naturally – but not wanting to seem like he had it in for the travelling community, he added a few other names to the proposed blacklist.

 

“The police may, pursuant to the Police Act Section 7, stop organised groups of Roma, Bulgarian or French people at the border,” he said, “because they know from experience that these people violate the general peace and order and it is proven that many of them are engaging in crime”.

 

Sandberg’s comments were largely ignored in Norway, where journalists are used to his inane drivel. But in France – which lies within the border-free Schengen Zone along with Norway – his remarks came as a shock.

 

‘Marine Le Pen in ski-boots’

 

Despite the obvious comedy value, many newspapers and websites reported Sandberg’s comments with barely a smirk. Free daily 20 Minutes seemed genuinely affronted that anybody could group together the upstanding citizens of France with those thieving Bulgarians and Roma. Brainless women’s weekly Grazia expressed alarm that French holidaymakers might find themselves turned away from Oslo airport. (“Dreaming of a trip to Norway? Then you better hurry!”)

 

Britain’s Daily Mail meanwhile was wildly eager to report the “news”, pouring over Sandberg’s proposal with glee, clearly delighted that somebody had said publicly what the frustrated publication had been “hinting at” for decades.

 

Only one journalist managed to properly celebrate Sandberg’s absurd thought-process. Jean-Pierre Gauffre of radio station France Info left Sandberg looking as silly as his own proposals in a two-minute skit, describing him as “an Arctic version of Marine Le Pen on cross-country skis”. 

 

“Sandberg is clearly exaggerating a little”, he said. “He seems to have smoked too much salmon before writing his statement. French people don’t cause any more trouble than anybody else. They might get a little over-excited perhaps during the Six Nations championship, but that’s just down to the Armagnac. As for criminal activity... yes it’s true that [disgraced former budget minister] Jérôme Cahuzac failed to declare that Swiss bank account and Claude Guéant [Sarkozy’s former chief of staff] sold some 17th century Flemish paintings for far too much money... But these are hardly heinous crimes.”

 

The French authorities in Oslo did not see the funny side of Sandberg’s remarks, however. Sandberg’s Progressive Party responded to a complaint from the embassy by arguing that in fact, Sandberg’s choice of examples was totally arbitrary. “He meant absolutely no disrespect to the French community,” a party spokesperson told the embassy. “He just wanted to highlight organised criminal gangs operating on Norwegian soil.”
 

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9 Comments
Welcome to Norway and welcome to get know the truth of Norwegian people their behaviour and their mind about "the best country in the world". No one will believe it before they have been living here for some decades. We just run to France for 6 month ago. Can't take it any more. Can't live with the worlds most narcissist nation ever. Norwegians are unfortunately in more than 80 per cent of the population narcissists. It goes over nationalism and has passed the racism. Sandberg's word about French people is nothing surprising in Norway. This political party is representing 24 % of Norwegians voters. The reason Norwegian Journalists didn't make any issue of this is because can't see it any more. Statements with fascistic after-taste are very normal in Norway. Remember that what Le Pen is talking about in France is already implemented by the Norwegian Government, which is the red-green side of the country's political side. I hope I can find a job in France. I really don't want to live in Norway ever again. PS! I look French but I'm from a non-Western country. I feel home and take cared of in France.
Mr Sandberg probably used the word "French" on purpose, a careful error calculated to receive attention. Otherwise no one would listen to him. Now he is known thanks to his "trojan" tactic. It is best to avoid clowns like him.
Good said Octavian. The sad thing is that they are confusing Romanians and the said "Romas". Vlad
The French soldiers buried in Narvik who were killed trying to help Norway in 1940....should they be banned too?
Sorry, Sophie, but if you quote something can't you be genuine about it ? You say that : "Free daily 20 Minutes seemed genuinely affronted that anybody could group together the upstanding citizens of France with those thieving Bulgarians and Roma. Brainless women’s weekly Grazia expressed alarm that French holidaymakers might find themselves turned away from Oslo airport. (“Dreaming of a trip to Norway? Then you better hurry!”) I did read the same articles, yet I dont feel the same way that you, they were just amused by the situation that's all. I was more shocked than them actually and who wouldn't ? Being labelled as "notorious criminals" out of the blue. Can Sandberg prove anything of what he has said by figures, facts etc... I don't think so.
Regards the misery of the French: Having had a number of French (language) tutors now in Australia. I find that the native speaking tutors seem to relish errors with an unmatched savagery on the page. Even as an adult learner it is demoralising and one hesitates to offer extra work for comment. I cant imagine how small children cope with it. At first I took this somewhat personally, but over time I believe that the teachers are simply reacting; regurgitating what they themselves have experienced. It is a bit sad I think to project this kind of contempt for someone trying to learn your native language, but for tourists many years ago it was the norm to be so derided in France for less than perfect language. As a visitor now, people are very helpful and friendly, but there is a repudiation of too much glee, as naiivity,or vulgarity. Is that so strange? Indignance at the 'wrongs' is central it seems, but that too seems not so different either. Is negativity the evolutionary fall-back position of us all? I am not sure which is worse; the effusive praise for merely breathing of the 'self-esteem' devotees, or the harsh criticism of the self-styled realists. Either way seems to lead to misery. Sandberg, what has he been taking in?
Keep catering to undocumented illegal democrats, Andrew. Diversity has proven to be a disaster in every western country. And nobody is more racist and anti-white than the progressives.
Sandberg's idiotic remarks would place him somewhere in the middle of America's Republican Party. He and Senators such as Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), among others, would find each other excellent company. I can envision them, attired in galoshes, knickers, and headscarves, standing in adjacent mud puddles, gleefully ranting hateful demented nonsense.
I'm a Romanian living in US for a long time. Roma people are in reality Gypsy and they have almost nothing in common with regular Romanian people. It just happened that the communist regime gave them Romanian citizenship so they traveled now as Romanians. They are an embarrassment for the country and not a oppressed minority as presented by the press. They are incapable of adapting to a normal (civilized) society as the West discovers every day. Congratulations to such politicians who have the courage to speak up ! No surprise the right wing parties are gaining with such lame governments that avoid the truth !!!! Octavian